


Every Beat of his Cocaine Heart

by aesirgirl



Category: Baby Driver (2017)
Genre: F/M, Pre-Canon, buddy and darling are happy and the world is a good place, i'll add more tags as i write, these two deserve happiness so here i am to give it to them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2018-12-25 14:43:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12038073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesirgirl/pseuds/aesirgirl
Summary: They were Buddy and Darling long before they met Doc. They were in love before they'd robbed a single bank. Her heart was devoted to him, and his heart was devoted to her. They looked at each other with adoration in their eyes. She ignored the wedding band on his finger, and he happily invited her into any hotel room they could find.How Buddy and Darling became Jason and Monica became husband and wife. Their love story before its tragic ending.





	1. Light of my Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my first work on here! I absolutely adore Buddy and Darling, and I've had this in my mind for a long time, so I finally wrote it out. Enjoy!

They were Buddy and Darling long before they met Doc. Long before their marriage, long before Atlanta, long before anything of note. First, they were Buddy and Darling.

She worked in a bar off of Wall Street. A bartender at the fresh young age of 22, Monica Castello thought she had her whole life together. She was happy doing what she was doing, single and loving it, and wildly fierce and independent. Born and raised in Washington Heights, Lower Manhattan was enough of an exciting adventure to her on a daily basis. 

She considered herself a sort of audience to the people who set foot in the bar. The reason she became a bartender in the first place was purely selfish; she wanted to hear stories being told. She wanted to know where people came from, what their dreams and aspirations were. She wanted to know everything and anything about the people who sat down across from her at approximately 5 PM every day. And, while their stories provided her with satisfaction, she knew that her attention (which often seemed solely focused on a singular person, despite the fact that she was hearing five different stories at once on most nights) provided a sense of catharsis for them. They got relief from those things that were bearing down on their shoulders, provided by a pretty face and a glass of something strong.

Because of her place of work, it wasn’t unusual to have middle-aged men who looked like the world was weighing down on their shoulders walk in. They were the prime targets; the ones who often had the best stories to tell. Whether it was a hard day of work or their wives cheating on them, Monica allowed herself to be drawn in word by word.

But, from the moment he walked in, Monica could tell that this one was different. Tall and undeniably stunning, with blue eyes that looked like they could pierce through a woman’s soul, he looked both exhausted and wide awake at the same time. He was wearing a suit that was seemingly too tight and, yet, fit him perfectly. His hair was perfectly groomed, his facial hair clearly shaved earlier that morning. His eyes were bright, but there was something there that was exhausting him. Something behind those eyes that he was hiding. He was an enigma, and it immediately drew her in. 

The man sat down and ordered a drink – the best whiskey they’d had, on the rocks – and Monica had attempted small talk. She wanted to get to know him, and, as she stood across from him and watched the ways his lips grazed the rim of the glass, she wanted to get to know more about him than just his name. She wanted to taste his lips, feel his hands on her shoulders, and know exactly what made him shiver. 

Monica wasn’t typically the sort of person who would sleep with someone who walked into her bar. It wasn’t like she didn’t enjoy one-night stands — she did, very much so — but it seemed like a violation of the workspace when she did so. This man was an exception to the rule, she supposed. There was just something about him, something deep, something that told her that she would do absolutely anything to know the taste of his lips by heart. 

Unfortunately, it seemed like the guy had a lot on his mind that night. The small talk was just that — impressively impersonal. It was like he’d read her mind, knew what she was going to ask to try to draw out the guy’s backstory, and then purposefully planned his answers to be short and clipped. It was Wall Street, she supposed, that made him so skilled at manipulating things like that. But it was difficult for her to meet his gaze without getting lost in the mystery that enveloped those beautiful blue eyes. As he got up to leave, Monica knew she couldn’t let him go that easily. She knew that, if she’d done nothing, he would’ve gotten away forever. That wasn’t something that she’d allow. 

“Hey, Buddy…!” she’d called after him. When the man turned around (not fully — of course, not fully — just a sort of half-turn) Monica knew it’d worked – she had his attention, at least for the next few seconds. “Thursday’s half off drinks; if you were thinkin’ about coming back, Thursday’s probably the best option for you.” That was a lie that came from thinking quickly; drinks were just as full-priced on Thursdays as they were on most other days, but she was working again on Thursday, and, with some luck and good tips before then, she could pull a few strings to get him his drinks half-priced. 

As she headed home that night, the mystery stranger — the man she’d called Buddy — lingered in her mind. As she laid in bed, she allowed her mind to wander, her thoughts taking her on a journey. It seemed like a wonderful dream that lasted far longer than any one-night stand did, and, though she was a bit embarrassed to admit it, it certainly lightened her own spirits.

Thursday evening was when she learned that her quick-thinking bribe had worked. She could feel a better air around the mystery man than she’d felt the first time. Monica poured him the same drink as the time before without being prompted, which then resulted in a soft “Thanks, Darlin’,” coming from the guy’s lips. At that moment, Monica could’ve sworn that she melted. She could feel her heart beating in her chest as she leaned against the bar and, once again, prompted him to tell her more.

This time, it worked. She thanked every God she could think of. Jason. The man’s name was Jason. He didn’t give her a last name, not at first, but Jason was enough for her to work with. She observed the way a single lock of Jason’s hair fell into his face just slightly after what seemed to be a long day of work. And, once she allowed her eyes to wander slightly, she willingly ignored the wedding band on his finger. Don’t get her wrong, she valued loyalty over anything else, but there was a part of her that just wanted to imagine what Jason would’ve been like, how he would’ve treated her, if it wasn’t for the fact that he was married.

As he left that night, she watched him go with a smile and tucked the tip he’d left on the bar for her into her pocket. Even as she moved along to the next guy with a story to tell, her mind lingered on Jason. Jason — she never thought she’d feel this way for a guy named Jason. Jason seemed like the name of some kid who got high in high school and never got anywhere better than a board position of his father’s business. Yet, here she was, her heart beating faster as she thought of the name Jason. Jason. Monica and Jason — they fit so well together. 

Jason continued to stop in, Monica continued to serve him his drinks, and they talked. They talked, and they talked, and, often times, they talked until Monica had to close up. She learned where he was from — the midwest (Illinois, outside of Chicago), what he did (a stockbroker, unsurprisingly), and what his dreams and aspirations were (own his own firm, live a full life, enjoy himself as much as possible). She learned his taste in fine dining and rock music. She learned that his last name was Van Horn. She learned more and more, and, with each word he spoke, she knew that she fell more and more in love. 

It felt like years, but, in reality, was only a few months, before he asked her out to dinner one night. That night was easily one of the best nights in her life. He treated her to dinner, and she continued to happily ignore the ring on his finger. That night, she tasted his lips for the first time – the taste of fine wine, steak, and a hint of cigarettes danced on her lips for the rest of the night. She learned that the way that it felt when he cupped her cheek with his hand was heavenly. She felt his jawline under her fingertips as her back was pressed to the wall outside of the restaurant. She didn’t want to say goodbye, even as his Uber arrived. The night was, in every extent of the phrase, a dream come true. She was overjoyed; she slept better that night than she’d ever slept before after more time with her own imagination.

Jason continued to stop by the bar. It became a nightly thing. As soon as he got off work, he’d walk the couple of blocks it took to get to the bar. He’d sit down, she’d serve him a drink, her fingertips dancing over the back of his hand as they spoke. His voice was smooth as can be when he spoke.

“So, Darling, Monica, how about you and I get ourselves a hotel room for the night? I want you to try something with me.”

Whatever he was offering, how could she possibly say no? “I’m off at midnight,” her voice was similarly silky, her eyes trailing from his to his lips, missing the taste of them already.

That night, as soon as her shift ended, he wrapped an arm around her waist and his jacket over her shoulders. They walked a few blocks to some hotel he knew, and he took her upstairs. It was there that Monica first felt the rush of cocaine in her system. Jason’s lips pressed against hers, he led her to the bed, and every sensation felt perfectly heightened. He was as wonderful in bed as she’d imagined him to be. And, for the first time since they’d met, she saw him without another woman’s ring on his finger, and she could imagine that he was all hers. 

She woke up alone the next morning, but she wasn’t dismayed; after all, who would deny the delight of waking up wrapped up in smooth as silk hotel sheets, with a note from a man who’d just given her the night of his life. On that note was a business card — a business card with a cell phone number and everything. It was accompanied by a handwritten note — _same thing next Monday? x J_. She gave him a call that afternoon. Of course, he was still working, so her call went to voicemail.  
“It’s your Darling,” she murmured into the receiver, a smile on her face. “See you Monday, Buddy.” 

As time went on, Monica learned more and more about the man who was, decidedly, the love of her life. He worked hard during the day, but the two of them played even harder at night. Unfortunately, they got themselves into a bit of trouble. Jason’s funds weren’t unlimited. They got into numerous arguments — about money, about coke, about his wife and his kids and what he was planning on doing — and those arguments usually ended in passionate sex against the nearest surface they could find.

Nearly a year had passed since their first meeting. They got into deeper and deeper shit. She found herself unable to concentrate at work. What if someone found out? She got herself arrested one day — it was petty. She stole a couple of lipsticks from a Duane Reade. She was only in jail for a couple of days — Jason managed to scrape together enough to pay the fine and get her out — but it made her even more restless. The city she’d grown up in felt like a prison, and she and Jason were spiraling unsafely close to the edge of a cliff, she knew it. 

Monica didn’t want to let him go. She didn’t want to say goodbye to this life of sex and drugs, but she was mentally preparing herself to do so. That is, of course, until Jason came to her one day, pulling her aside just after she left work. He was looking better than usual — something lighting up his eyes that she hadn’t seen since before they’d gotten themselves into this mess. 

“I know a guy.” 

“What a great way to start a conversation, Jason,” Monica sighed, pushing a hand through her hair. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I know a guy who can get us out of this shit.”

Oh — those words were good to hear. “Oh?” she raised an eyebrow, pulling him by the sleeve into a nearby alleyway, glancing around to make sure no one was listening in. “What’re you talking about? What do we have to do?”

“We’re going to Atlanta, Darling. We’re gonna go to Atlanta, and we’re gonna get ourselves set for life.”

For life? Atlanta? Together? Her mind was spinning. Suddenly, she regretted having his back pressed to the wall, for the sake of not having something to lean against. Placing her hands on his chest, she looked up into his eyes. They seemed hopeful, happy. 

“Will you marry me, Monica Castello?”

Monica could swear her heart nearly beat out of her chest. Tears filled her eyes. “Wait — what? I — what?” Her mind wasn’t processing everything that was going on. 

“Monica, Darling, you and I, together, we’re gonna take this fucking world by storm. The only way this could get any better is if you were Monica Van Horn. If you were mine, without all of the sneaking around bullshit—”

Before he could finish saying what he had to say, she rose up onto her tiptoes, pressing a deep kiss to his lips, her dark eyes sliding shut. “Yes,” she whispered, nodding quickly as soon as she pulled away. “Yes, yes, yes, I’m the happiest girl in the world, Jason…!” 

And so they were married. Not legally married, of course — that would be a mess in and of itself, but married nonetheless. They booked two tickets on the morning’s flight to Atlanta, bringing only what they absolutely needed, Jason reassuring her that they’d soon have all of the money in the world, with no want for anything. She believed him. He’d never let her down before. 

Her heart raced with joy and with anticipation for the future. Excitement coursed through her veins. Monica’s hand laced in Jason’s, they landed in Atlanta with a bright future ahead of them. They were the newlyweds getting matching “His” and “Hers” tattoos on their neck. Monica and Jason spending the last of their money from New York on a little apartment they could call their own. 

They were Buddy and Darling first, but, more importantly, when they were together, they were Jason and Monica Van Horn, and they were happier than they thought possible.

And then they met Doc.


	2. He Knows Me; Every Inch of my Tar Black Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here I am, back earlier than I expected. I guess I just love these two a lot. Now, here comes Doc. Monica and Jason dip their toes into the new world that they've joined. Enjoy!

Trusting Jason was something that came easy to Monica. Before she even truly knew anything about him, there was a sort of trust in her that came with the feeling of looking into his eyes. He was completely open with her, and she was completely open with him. If it wasn’t for how honest the two of them were with each other, their relationship wouldn’t work as wonderfully as they agreed that it did.

And trusting Jason meant moving to Atlanta without the slightest idea as to what was going to happen. How they were going to be set for life, as he’d explained to her. Their first week in Atlanta was like living in heaven. They had their own place, a set of matching tattoos, she got the ends of her hair bleached into a nice ombre, and she’d convinced Jason to grow out his facial hair slightly and be more adventurous with his hair. The undercut was a good look on him, and it felt amazing beneath her touch. 

Their days were spent wrapped up in each other’s arms, and their nights in each other’s lips and legs. They ate good food — Jason said he knew a place, a Bacchanalia, where the food and the wine was finer than most places she knew in New York. Their dinner there was wonderful, with Monica and Jason getting lost in each other’s eyes as they ate. It was certainly memorable; it was a night she’d never forget.

Of course, the fact that it was unforgettable didn’t lend only to their meal, though. Jason told her their future plans that night. Laying in bed, her head resting on his chest, her fingers trailing gently up and down his stomach, Monica’s eyes were closed as Jason’s fingers combed gently through her hair. He spoke up only after a long, comfortable silence. 

“Darling, sweetheart, I’ve told you we’re meeting with our guy tomorrow, right?” she heard her husband speak to her, and Monica looked up, resting her chin on his chest, brown eyes meeting blue.  
“Yeah, of course. Just because I had a glass or two of wine and a couple of lines doesn’t mean I forgot that, silly,” she teased, her hand reaching up to trail over his jawline, a smile remaining on her lips.

“That — that wasn’t really what I was trying to intend.” She heard Jason sigh, feeling his hand move to rest on her lower back, slowly shifting so that he was sitting up and she was tucked into his side. “The reason we’re here is… well, our new job… we’re going to be working for this guy, they call him Doc. Don’t ask me how he got in touch with me, because hell if I know if it was our dealer in New York or some guy at the office or, hell, a guy who works at the fucking Palm or some shit like that. Just know that he reached out to me.”

He was rambling. Nervous. Monica shifted so that she could look him in the eye, gently grabbing his chin. “Jason, breathe,” she instructed, making sure their eye contact remained for another few seconds before releasing his chin and nodding to instruct him to continue. 

“Well. He runs… this — a sort of elite group of criminals,” he explained to her, causing her to tilt her head to the side in a sense of confusion. He held up a finger to stop her from asking any questions, shaking his head slightly. “You and I are going to be… working together — he assured me that we’d be together — to rob banks for him. We get an equal cut of the money — each of us get an equal cut, you get a fifth, I get a fifth, and the other three — Doc, the driver, and whoever else he puts us with — each get fifths. So, technically, we’ve got the better end of the deal, see?”

Monica took the cue as her chance to speak. “Jason — are you sure we can trust this guy? I don’t… you don’t even know his real name! How much does he know about you? He could just be some undercover cop waiting to turn us in…!”

Jason sat up straighter, gently taking her face in his hands, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “It’s going to be alright, sweetheart… He knows the basics. That I was on Wall Street, that we’re here for the drugs, that you’re trustworthy and I am, too. He knows we’re married. And I think he’s serious about this shit. Says it’s been going on for years. Apparently, the news just hasn’t reached New York, because people don’t give two shits about robberies that don’t happen in their city, to their money.”

She could see it in his eyes — Jason trusted this guy, even if she had a sense of inherent distrust of him. “So… we’re meeting this guy, this Doc, tomorrow?” She already knew the answer to the question, she just wanted to hear her husband reassure her more.

“Yeah, baby. Over lunch. Apparently, he knows a discrete place.” Jason pressed another kiss to her forehead, then one to the top of her head, then one to her lips, which she returned after a half a second of hesitation. 

“Okay…” she whispered, before pressing another quick kiss to Jason’s lips. “Okay, I’ll meet him. We’ll go from there.”

“That’s all I can ask of you, Darling. Now, let’s get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

“I love you, Jason…” Monica murmured as they both laid back down, her head going to rest on top of his chest once more, his arm wrapping around her and pulling her securely to his side. 

“I love you, too, Monica. With all of my heart. Forever.” She gave a little smile at his sentiment. Even now, it made her heart race every single time she heard those words from his lips. Because, with Jason, she knew he meant it every time those three little words reached her ears. He was her perfect match, and her body fit perfectly against his. That sense of security remained with her as she drifted off to sleep, Jason’s steady breathing lulling her to sleep.

Upon waking up in the morning, she found a sense of nervousness filling her. Jason was still asleep as she climbed out of bed, quickly cutting herself a line and snorting it — a good way to wake her up in the morning, and a good way to ease her anxiety, she figured. She heard her husband stirring in bed behind her as she wiped her nose, the rush flowing through her after a moment’s delay as Jason sat up. She greeted him with a kiss and a gentle good morning, his bedhead making her grin. 

“I cut a few for you,” Monica nodded back towards the vanity as she headed towards their bathroom. “But I’m gonna shower. Join me when you’re ready?” she grinned, winking back at him over her shoulder.

She saw him grin sleepily as she walked into the bathroom, going to turn on the shower. Once the water was running, she went to hang up her robe, pushing some of her hair out of her face. After a few minutes of waiting, she tested the water to ensure that it was warm enough. When she was certain it was, she stepped in, letting the rhythmic feeling of the water rushing over her comfort her. 

Jason joined his wife soon after, the two of them running through their morning routine relatively easy. The shower, brushing their teeth, and drying off all ran effortlessly. They hadn’t even been living together for two weeks, but Jason and Monica functioned like a well-oiled machine. They even got dressed together. He suggested a pink off-the-shoulder top with jeans for her, and she shrugged and conceded, as long as he agreed to wear a blue flannel with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows for her sake. Then, all it took was a quick hair and makeup session for Monica, and they were ready to go.

She couldn’t bring herself to feel nervous until the Uber they were in dropped them off at the restaurant. Jason approached the hostess, but, before he even opened his mouth to speak, she gave him a sort of knowing look that Monica didn’t quite appreciate, tilting her head to the side slightly to silently make a he’s mine statement, her jaw tightening slightly. 

Her jealousy was immediately pushed aside, though, as she led the pair of them through the restaurant, Jason’s arm going to wrap around Monica’s waist. She allowed herself to lean into him a bit, but she couldn’t help the way her arms crossed over her chest, hands gripping at her biceps. She couldn’t help it — how was she supposed to trust this guy who likely knew more about her than she was comfortable with?

They were lead towards a booth in the back of the restaurant, in which sat a man who most certainly didn’t look like a crime boss. As he looked up, his eyes seemed to light up with a sense of recognition that Monica certainly didn’t like. Her arms tightened over her chest even more as the man stood up, approaching them with a hand held out.

“This must be the lucky couple,” he greeted, and no one else in the restaurant seemed to hear him. “The Mr. and Mrs.. Congratulations, you two.” 

Jason reached out, shaking the guy’s hand. Monica still didn’t quite trust him, so she gave a slight nod as Jason expressed thanks for the both of them. Then, they moved to sit down in the booth, Monica’s side pressed against Jason’s the whole time, if only for her own sense of security.

Doc did most of the talking during the meal, with Jason speaking up in the pauses. Monica’s additions to the conversation were minimal at best, only nodding on occasion, expressing concern when concern was needed.  
This Doc guy was smooth, though. For every one of Monica and Jason’s concerns, he had ways to assure them. This was a safe and secure operation. Apparently, Doc had been doing things like this across the U.S. since before he was Monica’s age, and he’d never been caught. That was a pretty good track record, in Jason and Monica’s books. That was the sort of thing that was needed to reassure them. From that point onward, they were more than willing to share more about them, about what they needed, about their ideas for what sort of things they’d be working on. 

They both clarified that they’d like to be together on more jobs than jobs than not, but, after a shared glance and a slight nod, they agreed that they’d do separate jobs if need be. If situations got desperate enough for that. If they needed the money. Doc seemed pleased with the answer, which caused a bit of confusion to run through the couple. 

It was then that Doc explained that he had a superstition, of sorts. That he never did a job with the same team twice. Their car would never be the same four people. That meant that there wasn’t anything personal that could grow between them and their so-called coworkers. The two of them were fine with that. They didn’t move all the way to Atlanta to form personal bonds; they moved for the reassurance that they’d be living life largely, with all the money that they could possibly ask for.

After that, Doc explained that everyone went by codenames — nicknames, monikers, of sorts, so that their real names weren’t exposed. With monikers, people couldn’t run and talk to the cops. After all, it was much harder to find someone who called himself Doc, he explained, than it was to find someone named Jason, for example. 

Monica nodded her agreement, knowing that Jason was doing the same. That made her even more comfortable with the idea of this job. No one would grow close enough to know them. No one — aside from Doc, of course — would know their names. And, when prompted to provide their own codenames, they both had answers ready without even having to think.

“Buddy,” Jason replied first, raising his eyebrows slightly and giving a single nod. Monica forced herself to hold back a grin. Oh, she was beyond in love with him. If she could’ve undressed him right there and then, she would’ve.

As soon as the second syllable of Jason’s new codename was spoken, Monica spoke up. “Darling,” she answered, her voice just as firm as her husband’s. Buddy and Darling to Jason and Monica and back to Buddy and Darling. It was strange, how things like this seemed to work out.

Monica felt Jason’s hand squeezing at her hip, going to lean against him with a grin. They were being ridiculously sentimental about the whole thing, but Doc didn’t need to know that. He had that strange knowing look in his eye that he’d had the entire conversation, but the couple ignored it. Maybe that was just who he was as a person.

The rest of the lunch went smoothly, with Doc picking up the check without Monica and Jason even getting an attempt to do so. He then went to shake both of their hands. This time, Monica accepted, nodding once, firmly. She was ready to do this shit, she decided. If this was her new life, now, she could run with it. 

Jason’s brow furrowed a bit as he shook hands with their new boss, but Monica didn’t mention that, not until they were in their Uber on the way home, her head tucked against his shoulder. She kept her voice as quiet as possible — she didn’t want the guy driving them to hear their conversation. The more the guy heard, the worse things would be, and she knew it. She didn’t want to blow things so soon after they’d started (hell, they hadn’t even started yet). So, her lips were pressed to her husband’s ears as she spoke. “You gave him a look as we were leaving. What was that?”

Jason reached into his pocket, pulling out a neatly folded napkin. Unfolding the napkin, he passed it along to Monica. When it was fully opened, she noticed an address written on it in pen, along with a few folded hundred dollar bills. 

“Well…” she muttered, whistling softly. “If he can afford to pay us this much before we’ve done anything, I think this is worth looking into.” She was joking as she passed the items back to Jason, leaning up to press a kiss to his jaw.

He chuckled, nodding as he tucked both the napkin and the money back into the pocket of his pants. “Yeah, you think?” he joked in return, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. The rest of the ride home was spent kissing, Monica’s arms draped over Jason’s shoulders. It was very innocent, but that was only because they didn’t want to draw more attention to them than necessary. 

As soon as they were home, Monica pressed Jason against the front door, kicking off her heels before raising onto her tiptoes to kiss him. She could feel him smiling beneath the kiss, and that only caused her to grin, as well. Her mind once again provided the thought that she was one of the luckiest girls in the world. 

She was halfway through unbuttoning Jason’s shirt when a knock on the door startled both of them. “Jesus Christ,” Monica muttered under her breath, sighing heavily as she pulled away from Jason. The response to their non-answer was another knock, causing Monica to roll her eyes. Jason finally relented and turned around to open the door, Monica standing slightly behind him, gazing over her shoulder at whoever it was who had the audacity to disturb them.

Their interruptor was just the doorman from downstairs, who held out a piece of paper for them. He dismissed himself with a “Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn” before leaving them be, the note in Jason’s hand as he closed the door with his free hand.

“What’s that?” she questioned not even a second after the door had closed, going to peer down at the paper. It said nothing but a time: 9:00 AM. Jason made the connection before Monica did; the address on the napkin and the time on the note. Jason and Monica were starting to realize that Doc had people in more places than they expected.

Nine AM was a bit earlier than Monica would’ve liked (she still wasn’t quite used to being awake during the daytime and asleep at night), but she knew that there was no point in complaining. Jason couldn’t do anything about it. So, it was going to be 9 AM that they got started with their new jobs. 

The two of them both assumed that it referred to the next morning. Walking back into the bedroom, Jason laid down first, Monica quickly climbing up beside him, tucking herself into his side. It was still too early to go to bed, even for a 9 AM call time, but neither of them found the drive to go much further than the occasional kiss with their new information.  
Jason pulled the napkin and the cash from his pocket, setting it on the nightstand. He then draped his arm over Monica, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “We only work when we need to,” he murmured to her, eliciting a nod in response. “We just give him a call.  
“But,” he continued, Monica looking up at him slightly, “it’s probably better we get this first job done sooner rather than later. Get rid of the first-time nerves, right?”

Monica nodded her agreement once more. “So… nine tomorrow, at that place. Guess it’s time for us to start getting set for life,” she murmured, leaning up to steal a kiss from his lips. He chuckled, kissing her back, bright eyes shining with joy.

“Yeah, baby. Time to get set for life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still trying to figure out a consistent upload schedule, but since I'm a college student, hell if I know when it's gonna happen. Every weekend? Maybe? We'll figure that out.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!
> 
> AMLABAD (all my love and Buddy and Darling)


	3. I Need You, I Breathe You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet your new crew.

If getting set for life required getting up at 6 AM to get ready, maybe getting set for life wasn’t the best idea, Monica decided when the alarm went off the next morning. She wanted nothing more than to tuck herself into Jason’s side, to curl up closer to him, to press her face into his chest and pretend like the alarm wasn’t going off. To sleep for at least another three hours. But that was an impossibility, and she knew it, despite the fact that she didn’t like it.

Jason must’ve turned it off, Monica realized, when the obnoxious beeping finally stopped. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. Then, she finally forced herself to open her eyes, resting her chin on his chest to gaze up at him. “Morning…” she mumbled, reaching up to run a hand over his jaw. The sun wasn’t even up yet, their room still nearly pitch-black, but he looked so gorgeous in the mornings. Her husband managed to take her breath away every single time she looked at him.

Jason had a similar thought in his mind — getting to wake up to Monica every single morning was a dream. It was nice being able to wake up and just hold her in his arms, as opposed to one of them getting up and leaving their shared hotel room as to not raise suspicions. He had to wonder how her hair was never a mess, how she still managed to look like an ethereal goddess even after a long night’s sleep. He knew that she’d disagree with him on that, but he would never say anything other than the truth; she looked stunning in his eyes. He murmured a soft “Good morning” in response, combing his fingers through her hair. 

Neither of them wanted to move, the darkness of the room keeping them from immediately getting out of bed. Eventually, though, Monica groaned in defeat, forcing herself to sit up, going to press a kiss to Jason’s lips. “You cut the lines, I’ll go warm up the shower…” she murmured, running her hand down his jawline once more, nudging his nose with her own. After one last kiss, she climbed out of bed, the room far too cold for her liking after being wrapped up in Jason’s arms all night. She hurried to the bathroom, mentally wondering to herself why the water had to take so long to warm up. 

Jason padded into the bathroom not long after she’d turned on the water, nodding back towards the vanity in a silent way of telling her that their vice could be satisfied for that morning. As he reached out to feel the warmth of the water, she walked back into the bedroom, going to do her line and get ready for the day ahead of them.

It took until they were both in the shower, shampoo running out of Jason’s hair, to address the events of the upcoming day. “You ready for this?” Monica spoke up, biting the inside of her cheek. Jason looked down at her, his hands rubbing at her shoulders gently to reassure her.

“It’s all going to be fine,” he spoke gently, in a voice that never failed to comfort Monica. “There’s nothing to worry about. He hasn’t ever been caught, remember? His operation’s never failed. Why would it start going wrong now?” 

He was right, Monica thought to herself. Doc told them that he didn’t know failure. And a man who didn’t know failure was a good man to trust when it came to things like this. After all, failure meant… well, it meant the end of everything. The end of Jason and Monica living a happy life together, the end of being set for life, the end of a utopian marriage. And she wouldn’t have that. For the first time in as long as Monica could remember, she was actually, truly happy. She felt completely loved by someone. She was able to wake up in the love of her life’s arms, she was able to kiss him whenever she wanted. She could turn to him when she was afraid, and he always knew exactly what to say to comfort her. How was she supposed to let go of that? She couldn’t. She simply couldn’t.

They lingered in the shower for a bit longer than they likely should’ve, as getting out meant accepting what their plan for the day was. When they finally did get out, though, they walked to their closets in silence, words unnecessary to express the way they were feeling. They got ready in near-silence, as well, only Monica breaking it a few times to ask if this shirt looked alright with those pants, or if she should wear this necklace and those shoes.

Jason reassured her multiple times that she looked stunning, and that the group of people they were about to meet wasn’t going to care what she looked like. He then made his way over to her, placing his hands on her hips, and leaning down to whisper to her, “and even though you look stunning, you’re all mine to look at.” That finally caused a smile to raise up onto her lips, her eyes brightening a bit as she pressed her lips to his.

“I love you,” she murmured with her lips still against his, causing him to chuckle softly.

“And I love you,” he replied, trailing one hand over her lower back gently. From that point on, all it took was a little hair and makeup, and the two of them were ready to go. 

The ride there was nearly silent, with Monica’s hand interlaced with Jason’s. There was a strange sense of unease that was resting on her shoulders once again, and she couldn’t will it away, even as Jason’s fingers gently trailed over the back of her hand, even as she went to go settle her head against his shoulder. 

It wasn’t even 8:30, but they thought it was better to be early than to be late, when their Uber dropped them off about a block away at a coffeeshop Jason found. They both agreed that coffee was a good way to give them an extra kick of alertness, even though the coke was still doing just that for them. 

Coffee in hand (Monica’s bitter as can be, and Jason’s sweetened just right), the couple walked to the address they were given, Jason’s free arm wrapped around Monica’s waist as they moved, each click of Monica’s heels against the pavement moving them closer and closer to their meeting and their new life.

The building looked run-down but not abandoned, Monica thought as they pushed their way through a revolving door and into a lobby. And, like magic, Monica felt Jason’s phone buzz in his pocket. She moved slightly to let him pull it out, gazing at the screen as he unlocked it.

The buzz was a text from an unknown number. It was short and to the point — all it read was seventh floor. Monica looked over at Jason, and Jason over at Monica, before they walked to the elevator bay and pressed the up button. They stood in near-silence, the only sound being Monica tapping her fingers on her cup of coffee, until the elevator dinged it’s arrival. 

Stepping in, the fluorescent lighting surrounded them as Monica reached forward to press the 7 button. The ride was just as silent as the wait, both sets of eyes watching as the red numbers counted upwards to 7. Monica’s breaths were measured as the doors finally opened, Doc there to greet them. 

He welcomed them impersonally, walking them into what looked to be like an abandoned factory workshop. Monica could nearly picture rows of tailors sitting there stitching together whatever clothing item happened to be mass-produced there at the time. As they walked in, Doc gestured to a man sitting at a main table set up in the center of the room, with a chalkboard positioned at the head of it.

“Darling, Buddy, meet Flash. He’s your partner in crime for the job.” Jason nodded towards him, while Monica raised an eyebrow in greeting. The guy nodded in return as Monica looked him over, trying to figure out if she could trust him. He seemed about Jason’s size, but built more — but that was difficult to tell, considering the fact that he was sitting. She leaned into her husband a bit more, still trying to size the guy up as they went to go sit on the stools opposite him.

Flash didn’t seem too interested in them to begin with, which didn’t bother Jason. For all he cared, they were there to get in, get the job done, get the money, and get out. But there was a part of Monica that wanted to know everything and anything about him, the same part of her that had caused her to ask the people who’d walked into her bar what felt like a lifetime ago to tell their stories. She wondered why he was there, what he was there for, what he needed the money for, why he’d chosen Flash as a nickname… she found herself lost in her own head as she leaned against Jason, trailing her fingers up and down his forearm, before the elevator dinged once more.

Both Jason and Monica’s eyes trailed to the back corner of the room to see who would join them in the workshop. They heard Doc’s voice before they saw the pair, though. “Meet your new crew,” their boss said as he entered their line of vision, gesturing to the room.

When Monica’s eyes finally landed on their fourth and final member, she tensed up. If she’d thought that she was young, she was proved wrong when Doc walked in with a literal kid. He looked like he couldn’t have been much older than seventeen or eighteen. He was massively tall — likely around Jason’s height — which was throwing her off, but he was still very much a kid. Her fingers gripped at Jason’s hand as Doc spoke.

“You know Flash,” Monica watched as the kid — donning a pair of sunglasses, making it even harder to read him — likely gazed towards the third member of their crew. “And meet Buddy and Darling, Atlanta’s favorite newlyweds.” Monica was barely listening to what Doc had to say. This kid — this literal kid — was someone she had to trust? It only got worse as Doc introduced the kid, who sat down at a separate worktable as Baby, their driver. 

Monica must’ve been inadvertently digging her well-manicured nails into Jason’s skin, because he tilted his hand, lacing his fingers between hers, and leaning to press his nose to her hair a whisper a soft “Relax. I’m sure it’s going to be okay.”

“He’s a fucking kid, Jason,” she whispered back, perhaps a bit too loud. She then lowered her voice even more, squeezing her husband’s hand. “How am I supposed to know that he can take this seriously?”

“Doc trusts him. Let’s just give him a chance, okay?” 

Monica gritted her teeth before finally relenting with a nod as Doc summoned them all to the table to go over the plan. Monica wanted to focus, but the kid — Baby — kept distracting her. The sunglasses and earbuds made him seem separate from the rest of them, even as Doc began to lay out the plan. There was something about his body language that told her that he didn’t want to be there. That something was off about the kid. And how badly she wanted to hear his story. 

Unfortunately, there wasn’t exactly the opportunity to do that, as Doc began speaking about the job that they were setting up to do. Jason’s full attention had been on their boss before he started speaking, but Monica had to force herself to drag her eyes off of their driver and to the chalkboard at the front of the room, her hand resting lightly on top of Jason’s once again as she slowly leaned back into him.

They were hitting a bank downtown. It was, according to Doc, supposed to be an easy job, most likely taking less than five or six minutes to get in and out. The dress code was black business casual with black scarves or bandanas to cover their faces. They had the details of the job because, according to Doc, someone at the bank had a nasal problem. It was Baby’s job to provide the car — something black, likely a sedan, whatever he could manage to get his hands on. Primetime for the job was between ten and eleven, so they were going to meet at the shop at 9 to make sure that everything was prepared for a 9:30 departure time. 

When Doc finished speaking, he asked if the shop had any questions. Monica wanted to speak up, to voice the dozens of thoughts she had running through her head. Who were these people, how was she supposed to trust someone who looked like he couldn’t be out of high school to get her away from a bank robbery alive, why they were supposed to dress like they were going to work. But she could feel Jason practically itching to get out of there, and Flash’s eyes on her practically begging her to ask a question so he could make a fool out of her, so she kept her mouth shut. 

After the brief silence, Doc dismissed them all with a few taps to the table and a dismissal of “I’ll see you all here tomorrow morning.” Monica nodded once firmly, leaning forwards so Jason could stand up, and then taking the hand he offered her and standing as well. They all walked to the elevator, and the ride down was perhaps the most uncomfortable she’d been all day.

Monica’s hand laced in Jason’s, they stood silently in the elevator, she was ignoring the urge to tap her foot. She could faintly hear some music coming from the kid’s earbuds, but there was no way she could place a name to the song. 

When the elevator arrived in the lobby, Monica had to tear her eyes away from Baby to leave with Jason. Her hand laced in her husband’s, she shifted her jaw slightly as they walked out with a soft dismissal to everyone. As soon as they were out of the building, she couldn’t help but speak up.

“He’s a kid, Jason. How the fuck am I supposed to trust somebody who looks like he isn’t out of high school to do this…!?” 

She could hear Jason sigh as he looked down at her, biting his lip slightly before responding. “Look, sweetheart, I used to do this as a kid, too. The driving. Not for… what he’s doing it for, but I used to do it for fun. I was probably younger than he is when I was boosting cars and driving around like some speed freak in the middle of the night.” He stopped her as they walked, moving to lean her up against a wall to get out of the middle of the sidewalk. “Look at me.” After a moment’s hesitation, she did, brown eyes meeting blue as one of his hands came up to cup her cheek. “It’s going to be alright. Trust me on this — it’s going to be alright, baby doll.”

Monica leaned into the hand on her cheek, sighing heavily. She didn’t want to agree with him, for the first time that she could remember, but she knew she had to. It was all going to be alright. He was right. And, in the off chance that he was wrong, and things weren’t alright, they’d get through it. Things weren’t alright in New York, but they got away from all of that. This was their new start, their beginning as a married couple. And he was right. Jason was always right. They were going to get out of this. Doc trusted Baby, and she had to do so, as well.

“Alright…” she whispered after a moment of silence, nodding. “Alright, alright — yeah. I’ll trust him this time. I’ll trust you in trusting him. But if you’re wrong, and if we have to end up running from this, too, we’re both getting jobs as bartenders in the next city we end up in,” she teased, leaning up to steal a kiss from his lips.

He chuckled — a soft, comforting sound, and kissed her back, a smile tugging the corners of his lips upwards, before nodding his agreement. “Deal.” 

Then, they both pulled back from the wall, his arm going to wrap around her waist, as he pulled out his phone and called for another Uber as soon as they got to the coffee shop. “As soon as we get our money, we’re gonna get the best shit we can find and a nice Mercedes, just for the two of us,” Jason grinned down at Monica, who looked up into his eyes once more.

“Oh, yeah? What else are we gonna do?” she asked, turning so that her body was pressed against his, her hands resting on his broad chest.  
“Well… we’ll go to Vegas,” he grinned, nudging her nose with his own. “We’ll put it all on black, for the sake of irony. If it doubles, we’ll get married. A real ceremony, just for the two of us. It’ll be real romantic.” 

“It sounds real romantic,” she murmured, leaning up to kiss him. Her lips remained pressed neatly against his until their Uber pulled up, when she finally forced herself to pull away. This was her life, she reminded herself, and, even though she had to trust some kid who couldn’t have been any older than a high schooler to keep her safe, Jason trusted him. And if Jason trusted him, she could, too.

Jason knew what was best for her, she reassured herself. He hadn’t done her wrong even once before. As they both climbed into the Uber and Jason gave the driver their address, Monica leaned her head on his shoulder. It was all going to be alright. They’d get there at 9 for their job, they’d do the job, and then they’d get on a flight to Vegas. She’d never been to Vegas before. It seemed like a perfect sort of celebration, to Monica. 

Now, she was excited. She was looking forward to the sun rising the next day. Instead of worrying about some kid who likely knew what he was doing more than she did, she had the opportunity to look forward to the trip of a lifetime with the man she loved. Yes, she decided. Everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's that! It took me a while to figure out what to name the fourth member of the crew, considering I can't use the same characters we already know because of Doc's whole 'no same crew twice' rule. 
> 
> Sorry it took me so long to update! Like I said, I'm a college student, and this week's been crazy as all hell. Expect chapters on the weekends?? I'm gonna say weekend updates as of now. I might get more specific later, but, hey, hell if I know.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!
> 
> AMLABAD (all my love and Buddy and Darling)


	4. Chasing Me All Over Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first job.

Every morning, Monica had trouble getting herself out of bed, not only because she hadn’t had her fix of coke, but because Jason’s arm was always warm when it was draped around her, his chest the perfect pillow. She could lay there for hours in complete silence, and still feel as if there wasn’t a problem in the world. Even as their alarm continued to go off, Monica wanted to lay there and just be held by the man she loved. 

Unfortunately, the world wasn’t that kind. They both knew that they had to get up. They had a job to get done. And, Monica’s mind reminded her, as soon as that job ended, they had a flight to catch to Vegas. She’d only dreamed of going to Vegas in the past, and Jason was about to make it a reality for her. Pressing a kiss to his collarbone, she finally moved as Jason turned off the alarm. It was time to get this shit started.

Their morning routine went by as smoothly as usual. A line, brushing their teeth, a shower all simple tasks that the pair had gotten used to doing together. Neither Jason nor Monica could truly comprehend how gorgeous their respective spouses were, complete adoration and devotion in their eyes even as they were the only ones there to see it. There was no doubt in Monica’s mind that soulmates were real, and that Jason was hers. The tattoo on his neck proved it. She pressed a little kiss to it as she climbed out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself with a smile. 

Getting dressed for the heist was a bit more difficult than Monica expected, though. She’d never had to dress business casual a day in her life. Jason seemed to know what he was doing — because of course he did, it was practically his job to know how to dress for business when they’d first met. And Monica didn’t realize how little black she had in her wardrobe until she was rifling through all of the pinks and purples. 

More time must’ve passed than she’d realized, because Jason was standing behind her, fully dressed, with a sweater draped over his arm. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head, leaning down to murmur in her ear. “Take those pants over there, put on any white shirt you’ve got, and then wear this…” Monica let him take one of her hands in his, moving it to drape the sweater over her arm. “You know I love seeing you in my clothes…”

She couldn’t help but grin, turning her head to press a kiss to the tattoo on his neck. “Being possessive on the first day of work, Jason? What’ll Doc say?” she teased, finally turning around fully to lean up and press a kiss to his lips. At least all of this helped distract her from what they were going to be doing in less than a few hours.

He smiled his bright smile that made Monica melt every single time, leaning in for another kiss before slowly moving his hands to unwrap the towel from around her. “C’mon, go get dressed, we’ve got to get to the shop soon.” 

She couldn’t help but playfully roll her eyes, pressing one more kiss to his lips before going to get dressed. After pulling on her bra, Monica turned her back to Jason and looked at him over her shoulder. “Clasp that for me?” she requested with a smile, just to feel his fingertips on her back once again. Watching a smile raise onto his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes, she smiled, as well, pulling her hair in front of her shoulders just as his fingertips brushed over her skin. Monica knew that he was teasing her for a few seconds — it didn’t take any longer than a second or two for Jason to clasp a bra, and even less time for him to unclasp it — but she didn’t mind the five or so seconds that he lingered behind her, ending with the bra clasped and a kiss to the top of her head. 

“There you go, Darling,” he murmured into her hair, his hands slowly trailing to rest on her waist.

“Thank you, Buddy,” she replied, placing her hands on top of his for a moment before pulling away once more to finish getting dressed. There was something comforting about wearing Jason’s sweater, despite the fact that it was two sizes too big on her, at the very least. It smelled faintly like his cologne, which would help her breathe throughout this thing, she knew it, even though she had to cuff and roll up the sleeves to make it somewhat appear as if it fit properly. 

Once they were both dressed, with hair and makeup done, they once again took an Uber to the coffee shop a couple of blocks away. “Next time,” Jason whispered into Monica’s hair as they sat in the car, “we’ll have a car of our own. Something classy; subtle, but not too subtle. I was thinking an Audi?”

“Sounds perfect, handsome,” she murmured back, leaning in for a kiss just as the car pulled to a stop. They thanked the driver before climbing out, Jason’s arm wrapping around Monica’s waist as they headed into the coffee shop. It was only a quick stop — as soon as the car drove off, they walked out, heading towards the Healey Building.

When they got out of the elevator, Doc was already waiting there, along with Flash, who seemed like he’d never left in the first place, still seated in the same spot. The kid hadn’t shown up yet, which was likely a good thing. Monica and Jason sat down beside each other once again, Monica leaning her head against his shoulder as they waited. The anticipation was slowly building up inside of her once again, but she continued to force the nerves back and reminded herself that as soon as this was over, they were going to Vegas. 

They mostly kept to themselves; there was no need for any socialization in Jason nor Monica’s mind. They were just there to get in, get the job done, and get out. Monica ignored the hint of anxiety that rushed through her when the kid walked in again. Jason must have noticed, because she felt his fingers trailing up and down her arm in an attempt to calm her. She leaned into him a bit more, nodding her thanks. 

There wasn’t much discussion to be had between the crew before scarves were wrapped around their necks (effectively hiding Monica and Jason’s ‘his’ and ‘hers’ tattoos, respectively) and they were led into the elevator and down to the parking garage. 

The car waiting for them was a Honda Civic — black, as discussed — and, with a reminder to be back at the shop within the next hour, they were sent off, Baby driving, with Flash in the front, and Monica and Jason in the back. She glanced over at him constantly, a gun sitting in her lap that she fiddled with. She’d never held a gun before, let alone shot one, so she had to hope for the best. Jason, on the other hand, seemed like he knew what he was doing with the weapon, which surprised Monica. How did a Wall Street stockbroker know how to properly handle a gun? She assumed it had something do with his childhood; maybe his father taught him when he was a kid. Either way, she knew that she was relying entirely on her husband and the guy that Doc had grouped them with to keep her safe that day.

As they pulled up in front of the bank, Monica took a deep breath, sending a final glance over at Jason as Flash climbed out of the car. Jason gave her a little nod of assurance before pulling his scarf up, Monica following suit and climbing out of her side of the car. Baby seemed entirely disinterested in the situation, she observed as she closed the door behind her, grabbing a bag from the trunk and following Flash and Jason into the bank. 

The second the door closed, Flash shot his gun in the air, the flash of the muzzle stunning even Monica slightly. She heard him shout “Everybody on the ground!” as she forced herself to compose herself. Her heart rate picked up as Jason followed suit, the customers quickly doing as they were told. 

“Empty it,” Monica spoke up as she approached the nearest teller, nodding at the register. She pushed her bag onto the counter, knowing that every second they were in there was a second more for the police to get there. She knew that she was in over her head, but there was a part of her that was excited at the concept of all of this. A part of her was enjoying how fast her heart was racing. She was — oddly enough — enjoying this. She wasn’t afraid. As the teller put the cash into the bag, she could feel herself smiling behind the scarf hiding her lips. She sent a glance over her shoulder at Jason, who was doing something similar to herself. Meanwhile, Flash seemed to take pleasure out of threatening the customers with his gun. 

Monica rolled her eyes slightly as she moved to the next register, nodding wordlessly at the bag. She didn’t have time for people like Flash in her life, not when he could easily ruin the entire job with one wrong twitch of his finger. Jason acted well, though; it looked like this wasn’t his first time doing this, and it impressed Monica. If she was being completely honest, she would admit that it sent shivers down her spine.

As soon as the second register was emptied into her bag, she zipped it shut, throwing it back over her shoulder. “Boys!” she called out, getting Jason and Flash’s attention. “Time to go.” She got a firm nod from her husband, who zipped his own bag, and, with one last warning shot into the air from Flash, they walked back out of the door, hurrying to the car as soon as the alarm started to go off.

Climbing into the car, they barely had time to get the doors closed before Baby was taking off. Monica yelped a bit in surprise, immediately grabbing onto the hand grip above her window as Baby spun around a corner. She looked into the rearview mirror, and the kid had a perfectly straight face. It was as if his heart race wasn’t even up, like driving like a maniac was as natural to him as breathing. She could hear sirens closing in on them, but Baby didn’t look worried. He took a turn at what felt like nearly 70, Monica nearly falling into Jason. He looked terrified of the kid’s driving, which didn’t reassure her much. But, as he took another turn, Monica realized that he really knew what he was doing. The cops were losing them. 

As they took another turn, Monica noticed that they were hitting the highway. Their car seemed to blend in with the dozens of others that were heading into downtown for work that morning. That didn’t mean that Baby slowed down, though. He was weaving in and out in a seemingly reckless manner, but it was all calculated, she observed. The kid knew what he was doing. He nearly seemed bored, she would even dare to say. 

They weaved in and out through traffic, Monica glancing out of the back window on occasion. The sirens were still audible, but there was no way that any of the cops had any idea where they were. Baby made them blend into the crowd as if they were meant to be there. Pulling off her scarf, she looked over at Jason and raised an eyebrow, as if to say ‘is this kid really managing this?’. He raised both eyebrows in return, as if replying ‘I think so’. 

They pulled off of the highway a few minutes later, Baby quickly turning the wheel sharply to turn them into a parking garage. They flew up a level before climbing out of the car and into an awaiting silver Toyota that was waiting exactly where Doc had told them it would’ve been during the briefing the day before. 

Flash climbed into the driver’s seat, with Baby in the passenger’s seat, and Buddy and Darling remained in the back, her leaning against him. She reached up to tug down the scarf that still covered the lower half of his face, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, finally letting herself laugh. It worked. This crazy plan of theirs actually managed to work out. She grinned against his lips, her fingertips tracing down his jawline. “It worked,” she whispered against his lips, shaking her head, the smile still lingering. 

It seemed like a fever dream, now, as they pulled into the garage of the Healey Building. It worked. It worked, and they were all approximately $75,000 richer. That meant that, combined, she and Jason were $150,000 richer than they were the day before. And, if, in Vegas, they had good luck, they could be even richer than that. It was blowing her mind. Her heart was still racing. She was beyond happy, and there was nothing that could make the day better, she decided. 

When the four of them climbed out of the car, they all headed to the elevator, Baby getting off in the lobby while the remaining three headed upstairs to the shop. Monica was a bit confused as to where Baby was going, but she wasn’t going to comment on it. When they got up to the shop, Monica and Jason dropped the full bags of cash onto the center table. Doc seemed pleased, which was good. They did things right; they would get out of there sooner rather than later. And getting out of there meant getting back to the apartment. And getting back to the apartment meant getting their luggage and getting on a flight to Vegas. 

Monica and Jason sat back down at the table as Doc began to count out the money, Monica going to sit on Jason’s lap. She leaned down to press a kiss to his lips, her arms draping over his shoulders. She ignored the way that she felt Flash’s eyes on the back of her head; she was too happy to stop herself. She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline from the successful job, or if it was the cocaine still running through her system — maybe it was both — but she was too high to care about the way she was being looked at by some trigger-happy criminal. 

Her lips were still pressed to her husband’s when the elevator dinged with an arrival. She looked up, still sitting on Jason’s lap, to see Baby coming in with four cups of coffee. If she didn’t think that it sounded crazy, Monica would’ve sworn that the way Baby set down the cups of coffee and the pattern that Doc was counting money to was synced up in some rhythm, but it sounded ridiculous, so she brushed the thought aside. 

Monica picked up the coffee that was set down in front of her, taking a small sip to test the heat and the flavor. She nearly laughed at Jason’s reaction; the coffee was perfectly bitter to her standards, but she knew that he wasn’t one to drink completely bitter coffee unless he absolutely had to. “I’ll take it,” she murmured with a smile, taking another sip of hers as the money continued to be counted out. 

There was no attachment between Monica and Jason and anyone else in the room — aside from Doc, of course, who was a constant — and that was a bit of a relief. No attachment meant nobody knowing anything, and nobody knowing anything meant that their lives would effectively go on, even if somebody stupidly decided to talk to the cops. The nicknames were a good plan, after all. 

As soon as the money was counted out and split up, Monica and Jason took their respective bags, throwing them over their shoulders as they headed to the elevator. She leaned up to press a kiss to Jason’s lips once more as they rode down to the parking garage, still ignoring the looks she could feel on her back from Flash. Baby seemed like he couldn’t care less, and Doc acted as if it was nothing special. 

When the elevator doors opened to the lobby, Buddy and Darling moved to step off of the elevator, Darling patting Baby on the shoulder slightly. “You did good, kid,” she muttered to him before exiting. The doors closed behind them, and they headed out onto the street. Jason called an Uber as they began their walk to the coffee shop, both holding a cup in their hands, appearing as if they actually had been sitting in that shop instead of robbing a bank, Monica’s scarf still draped open around her neck. 

They climbed into the car, the bags of money resting on the floor at their feet. Their driver attempted to make smalltalk with them, his first question nearly causing Monica to laugh out loud. “Y’all hear about the bank robbery in Buckhead?” 

After both of them holding back a laugh and sharing a knowing glance, Monica tilted her head to the side slightly, her hand going to rest on Jason’s thigh. “There was a robbery?” she asked in her most innocent voice, a false look of concern rising onto her face. She nodded her way through the guy’s story about the events of the morning, Jason clearly trying not to laugh as he reached up to scratch at his jaw to hide his grin. 

As soon as the ride ended, Monica sent a compassionate smile to the guy, wishing him good luck and safety from Atlanta’s criminal life before they both climbed out, throwing their bags over their shoulders, and heading up to their apartment, laughing as soon as the door closed behind them.  
“I didn't know you could act…!” Jason grinned as the door closed behind him, leaning in to press a kiss to Monica’s lips.  
“That’s not acting, babe. That’s just a little messing around,” she replied after kissing him back, shaking her head. “But — we can debate what’s acting and what’s not on the flight to Vegas we have to catch,” she tapped his nose, nearly bouncing on her toes from excitement.

“Pack your bag, Darling. We’ve got a flight to catch,” he replied, his hands going to rest on her hips in order to steal one last kiss from her lips.

“Damn right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there's that! Sorry it took me a day longer than expected to get out, it's just been a long week for me and writing was more difficult than usual. 
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!
> 
> AMLABAD (all my love and Buddy and Darling)


	5. Now We're Going in to Las Vegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip of a lifetime starts now.

Experience in airports were one area in which Jason and Monica were completely different. Jason was a frequent flyer; his previous job made travel a necessity, so it was as if he knew airports like the back of his hand. The Atlanta airport, he’d explained to Monica, was a hub for flight; they could get nearly anywhere in the world from Hartsfield-Jackson. 

Monica, on the other hand, had only been in airports a few times in her life. She wouldn’t say she was a nervous flyer, mostly because she wouldn’t admit to being nervous at anything, but she was definitely uncomfortable. She just had to keep reminding herself that Jason was right there, her hand was in his, and that they’d be alright.

That had been her thought process when they first flew to Atlanta. Now, sitting at their gate in Hartsfield-Jackson, there wasn’t an ounce of worry within Monica. She was excited; Vegas was going to be a whole new experience for her. And she got to share that whole new experience with the man she loved. With every moment she spent with Jason, she felt more and more like the luckiest girl on Earth. 

It was only Monica’s second time flying first class, as well — the first being in their move to Atlanta, but it still felt like she was living a life of luxury. A life that she was never meant to live. Jason was treating her like a princess, and Monica loved every second of it. It seemed like she couldn’t keep her hands to herself, even though they were in a very public area. Every few minutes, her lips were being pressed to his, and, even when they weren’t, her hand was trailing up and down his arm, her lips being pressed to his jaw, anything that wouldn’t have been considered too risqué. (Though, there were times that her hand trailed to his inner thigh, just to get a reaction out of him). 

The flight was spent mostly the same way — with Monica curled as close to Jason as possible, despite having the window seat (Jason was always insistent on the aisle, which was no mind to Monica, considering she wanted to be able to look out the window as they were landing). They had a few glasses of champagne, their moods already high as can be. She was looking forward to everything that they were going to experience on this trip. 

Landing in Vegas was quite the sight to see — the sun was just setting, but looking out on the Strip from their window was amazing. Monica’s hand was laced tightly in Jason’s, and as soon as their plane touched down, she leaned over to press her lips to his, her hand going up to cup the back of his neck. “The start of a whole new adventure, Buddy,” she whispered to him, opening her eyes to press her nose to his. 

He smiled softly at her words, one of his hands coming up to smooth through her hair. “A whole new adventure, just the two of us. It’s perfect.”

She couldn’t deny that. This was beyond perfect. She would’ve never dreamed that she could live like this. She would’ve never dreamed that she could fall in love with a man nearly twenty years older than her, who was passionate, charming, funny, and handsome enough to die for. That that man would know exactly how to treat her right. That he would mean everything to her, and that, by simply looking into his eyes, she could tell that she meant everything to him, as well. It was a life that seemed too good to be true, but she was going to take every second of it for granted; it was her reality, now, and she didn’t want to miss a moment of its perfection.

Even after the day of flying, Monica knew she looked good. She also knew that her husband looked good. She could feel eyes on them as they walked through the airport, his arm around her waist, hers resting on the center of his spine, between his shoulder blades. It was a sort of possessive touch from the both of them, telling the world that ‘he’s mine’ and ‘she’s mine’. A ‘you can look, but you can’t touch’ sort of thing. And people were looking. At a point when Monica felt more than a couple of pairs of eyes on them, at the very least, she turned, gently taking Jason’s chin, and pressing her lips to his with a smile. He returned that smile, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones. “I love you so much,” he whispered to her.

“And I love you more than words can explain,” she murmured back, fingers going to release his chin so they could continue walking, the eyes still on them as they got their luggage from baggage claim and continued onwards. 

“Oh, Jason,” Monica murmured as she saw a man standing with a sign for ‘Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn’, “you didn’t have to…”

He smiled, pulling her closer by her waist. “But I wanted to, and you know I get what I want.”

“Of course I do,” she couldn’t help but grin as she shook her head slightly in disbelief. This world of luxury was certainly everything she could’ve ever hoped for it to be, she thought as they handed their bags to the man and followed him to a car waiting outside. Las Vegas was just starting to light up for the night, and Jason and Monica were, as well. This looked to be the vacation of a lifetime, and Monica was already practically bouncing on her toes with excitement.

Half of the ride in the car was spent gazing out onto the Strip with amazement, and the other half was spent in Jason’s lap, her lips against his, his hands on her waist. Some people called New York the city that never slept, but, after living in New York for most of her life, she could easily say that Vegas was much more awake at night than New York would ever be. There were people walking down every block, every building lit up in bright lights — it was breathtaking.

The car pulled up in the driveway to Caesar’s Palace, and, before Monica could climb off of Jason’s lap and out of the car, their luggage was already out of the trunk, and there was a bellhop opening their door and offering his hand to Monica to help her out. With one last kiss to Jason’s lips, she accepted the hand, climbing out of the car. The Vegas air was unsurprisingly warm, the city lighting up her soul. She felt Jason’s hand go to rest on her lower back as he climbed out of the car, as well, leading her towards the entrance. 

She was practically speechless; this was the vacation she’d always imagined going on, and they hadn’t even set foot in the hotel, yet. 

Once they had set foot in the hotel, Monica realized that Jason was going to continue to outdo himself. She pressed her lips against his ear, murmuring to him in a low tone, “Oh, how am I ever going to repay you for all of this kindness?”

She watched his lips tuck up into a grin, his eyebrows raising slightly as he murmured back, “I think you’ll figure out a way.”

With every turn of the corner, it seemed like Jason did better and better. As they went to check in, the woman at the front desk seemed to know him. “Mr. Van Horn, welcome,” she greeted, her eyes moving to rest on Monica’s face. “And this must be your lovely wife. Your room is ready…” she continued to speak, but, after giving a gentle smile of acknowledgement, Monica’s eyes began to wander again. The hotel was gorgeous, to say the least. She didn’t realize how distracted she was by the beauty of everything until she heard Jason thank the woman and felt his arm going to wrap around her waist once more, to direct her towards the elevator.

She followed at his side, amazed by everything that her eyes landed on. She was in a separate world of beauty, now, far from Atlanta’s now-familiar skyline, and even further from the hell that she used to call home in Washington Heights. This new life with Jason was everything a girl could ask for — adrenaline came from the coke and the job they now had. Beauty came from everything that Jason gifted her. Adoration in every time she looked at her husband. And, well, she had to mention the amazing sex. Her life was a dream come true, and she didn’t have a care in the world.

Jason swiped their room key at the elevator bay, stepping into one when the doors opened, Monica at his side. He looked down at her, and she looked up at him, before he moved to lean against the wall, his hands going to rest at her waist. She leaned up, pressing her lips to his, the elevator silent aside from the noise of their lips being pressed against one another’s, and the occasional chuckle from Jason. 

When the door opened, Jason took Monica’s hand, leading her down the hall. She eagerly followed behind him, lacing their fingers together. If this was a dream, it was one of the sweetest ones she’d ever had — she was sure that she was going to make the most of every second, so that she’d wake up happy when it ended. 

Jason opened the door to their room, and, once again, Monica’s breath was taken away. It was a gorgeous two-story suite, with much more room than the two of them needed, but, nonetheless, it was stunning, with a view of what looked to be the pools downstairs. She turned back to Jason, her eyes wide in amazement. “How’d you manage to get this together on such short notice?” she asked, going to press another kiss to his lips. 

“I’d do anything for you, Darling. You know that,” he replied, placing his hands on her hips for just a moment, before nodding towards the bedroom. “Go get changed. We’ve got a big night ahead of us.”

Once again, she couldn’t believe how lucky she was. She felt like she’d been repeating that over and over in her mind, that she was beyond lucky to have a guy like Jason to call hers, a guy with such class and good taste and who knew exactly what made her shiver, what made her moan, and how her mind worked. He was quite literally her world, and she didn’t know who she’d be without him at this point in her life — likely still working at the same old bar, doing the same old thing every night, just as broke as she’d always been, never quite knowing what love was. 

Jason was a gift to her life, to say the least. Jason. Tall, handsome, funny, daring, gorgeous, fearless Jason. Her one true love. Her soulmate. The man who she never grew tired of kissing. Who had a tattoo on his neck that proved that he would always be hers. The man whose matching tattoo she was honored to wear for the world. The man who she was unafraid to cry to, who could and would listen to her speak for hours. The man whose voice was more calming than a storm on a summer’s day. The man she’d love until the day her heart stopped beating. 

When she got into the bedroom — which was just as gorgeous and extravagant as the living room — she noticed a garment bag laying on the bed. Jason was, once again, outdoing himself. A smirk rose onto her lips as she moved towards the bed, the bag drawing her in, alluring her. She reached down, going to unzip it. 

As she unzipped the bag, the first thing she noticed was the beautiful shade of magenta that the dress was made of. She continued to unzip the bag, pulling the dress out slowly. It was silk and beyond stunning, with a deep V-cut front and a low back. It was something that she would’ve picked out for herself, not only because it was gorgeous, but because it was the perfect dress to tease Jason in. She whistled softly, going to hang the hanger on the door to the bathroom, a grin remaining on her cheeks. Yes, it was perfect, without a doubt in her mind.

Changing was a quick process. It felt nice to get out of the jeans and the top she was wearing for the day of travel to begin with. She stood in the bedroom, looking at herself in the mirror, before going to unclasp her bra and pull down her underwear in a couple of quick motions. After a small smirk at her reflection, she went to pull on the dress, zipping it up herself. Luckily, the heels she’d been wearing before were black, and, therefore, worked with everything. 

Walking into the bathroom, she quickly took some lipstick out of her purse, reapplying it. Then, she moved to stand in front of the full-length mirror, looking herself up and down. Monica looked stunning, there was no denying that. The dress fit her perfectly, and it was a perfect cut. 

Jason had a better taste in fashion than she’d imagined him to when they first met, he’d proved that in the months they spent sneaking around New York together. She adored being treated like a princess, like she was the only thing that mattered in his life. Now that they’d run from New York together, he continued to prove that she was both the best and the only thing that mattered in his life, but his taste continued to blow her away every single time.

Fixing her hair one last time, she walked back into the living room to find Jason. Before she could, though, she felt his hands going over her eyes. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt him press his lips to her ear, whispering to her, “One last surprise. Take a few steps forwards…” he instructed. Once she followed his instructions, he gently guided her to turn. “Alright, gorgeous, sit down.” She smiled softly, reaching behind her until she felt a chair, slowly lowering herself into it. “Now, close your eyes, don’t open them until I tell you.”

Monica laughed softly; once again, she was speechless. Her Buddy continued to surprise her. She closed her eyes, feeling Jason’s hands move away from her face after another moment. “Better not peek…!” she heard him call from further away.

“I’m not!” she called back, unable to stop smiling. She heard his feet moving across the carpet away from her, and then him rustling around somewhere. Then, the footsteps returned until she figured he was right in front of her. 

She then felt one of his hands on her ankle, brushing over the skin there, surprising her slightly. Monica nearly opened her eyes purely out of shock, but she kept them closed as Jason slid one of her feet, then the other, out of her heels. She was going to question what was going on, but Jason seemed to know what he was doing, so she kept the questions to herself. “Okay,” she heard him speak, his voice gentle, the smile on his face audible as he spoke, “go ahead and open your eyes.”

Monica did so as soon as Jason said that she was able to, blinking against the lights. It was then that she saw Jason kneeling at her feet, a pair of shoes in his hands. “Oh, Jason…” she whispered, reaching forward to touch them. It was then that she realized that they weren’t only heels — they were Louboutins. Beautiful, pink Louboutins that tied around her ankles. “Jason, those are stunning… God, you keep spoiling me like this, what am I supposed to say other than thank you…?” 

“Thank you’s perfect, Darling.” Jason then leaned up and pressed his lips to hers, his hand cupping her jawline. She kissed him back, her dark eyes closing, her hands resting on his shoulders. They kissed until they couldn’t breathe, they kissed until their lips were sore. She finally pulled back, running her hand over his hair. 

“Thank you so much, Jason. They’re stunning, the dress is gorgeous…” she trailed off, gently tilting his chin upwards. “Stand for me…?” she requested. Once he was standing, she stood herself, looking him up and down. “And you look so fucking hot, babe…” she took a few steps closer, tugging his tie to get him to press his lips to hers once more. 

The two of them kissed for another minute or so, Monica finally parting after a quick nip to Jason’s lower lip. She could feel Jason’s eyes running up and down her body even after she went to put on the Louboutins. She bent over in a purposefully tantalizing way, glancing at him from over her shoulder as she tied the ribbons around her ankles. “See something you like?” she teased, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

“I see a lot of things that I like, but the one in pink is my favorite,” he replied, going to stand behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist. 

“I’d better be,” she grinned, finishing with her shoes before straightening, turning her chin to press a kiss to his cheek.

“I couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect to spend my time with and my money on,” Jason murmured, his hands resting on her stomach, her back pressed to his chest. Monica rested her hands on top of Jason’s, her eyes looking up into his. 

The Vegas lights shone into their hotel room as Monica and Jason stood together, reveling in the shared warmth of their bodies. There wasn’t a thing wrong in the world. Her lipstick was on his lips, the clothes he’d picked out on her body. They were happy, they were safe, and they were in love. They were each other’s, wholly, and Vegas wasn’t prepared for what was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vegas Part 1 is done! Buddy spoils the hell out of Darling; is anyone surprised? Once again, sorry about the delay! I was fasting this weekend and didn't have much energy to write until today, and I was super busy before just now.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!
> 
> AMLABAD (all my love and Buddy and Darling)


End file.
